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Guiding Questions:

What are your initial thoughts about the concept of Literacy with ICT (LwICT)?

After my very first thoughts about "Oh crap, another meeting and another day out of my classroom" my thoughts changed to thinking that I had it backwards! I was looking at the ICT part, not the literacy part, as the foundation for this initiative. Now, I feel better prepared to work with the continuum in my classroom. Literacy is the major focus of all science curriculum documents. Why have I been thinking that literacy in science means covering "so many outcomes?????" I realized that many of the things that we did in our Tech College while I was at GVC in Winkler were important aspects to the infusion of ICT. The training model they used was affective in exposing staff to many areas of technology that many staff are otherwise unlikely to explore on their own. I will be chatting to Craig about this on the way home today! My last thought was that this will give me the chance to chat with others about how they use technology in their teaching. I saw Troy about a month ago and knew he was coming. This gave us a chance to sit down and talk about how he is using his smart boards.

What implementation barriers for LwICT do you foresee at Senior Years?

At the senior years I see the main barrier being resistance from some staff. This resistance may decease as the ICT is being infused into new curriculum documents. Many staff see ICT as "computers" and are at a supplementary or complementary model, at best. They still see ICT as an add on not as a learning continuum. I also foresee infrastructure barriers. Our current access to internet is limited as you are well aware. I am sure connectivity has come up many times in your discussions with Craig! We are a large geographic division, with many schools. Providing adequate connectivity will be a costly venture. I also see a need to educate the parents. Many parents grew up in a "wrote memory" system. They may not embrace a shift to a different level of learning. To them, memorizing content is learning, yet our students very likely know far more factual information then they do!!

What opportunities does LwICT present for Senior Years?

I believe it will provide engagement for our learners and give students the motivation to provide their best work. Recently I took in some "poster" type projects - not good results. If it were done in a different format I would certainly ask for revision and resubmission. At the high school level, rarely do we offer students the chance to reflect, revisit and resubmit. This model would perhaps allow for some better assessment practises.

What professional learning is required initially to prepare Senior Years teachers to begin to use the LwICT continuum?

The key, I believe, will be education. We must educate professional staff, who grew up in a "catch the frog world" a chance to learn that there are other ways to "capture the image of the frog". Just today I learned about poll everywhere. Didn't know about it! Too bad as I just purchased iClickers. Cool tools like this need to be shared.

What types of ICT do you currently have in your Senior Years classroom?

I use a variety of technologies in my classroom: projector, digital microscopes, biotech equipment, iclickers, web apps, cell phones, graphing calculators, Pasco Sensors with my computers, Sonde unit for water quality, GPS, GIS (just starting - Craig is resistant to load it for me as the last time I crashed our school network!!!, ipods, vcrs, digital cameras, DVcameras, airliner tablet, podcasts

What types of ICT are available to you in your school, but not in your classroom?

I am not using the HD video camera yet, and although I had started looking at blogs, wikis etc in Winkler, I have regressed a bit due to a heavier course load. ICT would be much easier if Craig would give me Mac access!!!! Other than the HD digital camera, I tend to be ahead of most in bringing things into the school.

What subjects and grades do you teach and how do you currently use ICT to enhance student learning?

I am currently teaching 7 Science, 11 Biology, 12 Chemistry and 11 Current Topics in the Sciences. Last semester I also taught 10 Science, 11 Chemistry, 12 Biology. I would like to say that ICT is infused in my courses but I would guess that it is integrated, at best. I use many technologies (see above list) but tend to teach the technology not use the technology to teach the literacy, although I hope there is some of that happening.